This came in from Bhaskara :
“Today I was watching a local kannada news channel. There was a news that, people in Bijapur were furious over water supply. The reason was for weeks there was no water supplied to homes. When the public attacked the local water regulation body, they found out that there was water in the tank, but it was being supplied only to influential people like Politicians and Business men. You needed to have political influence to get water in the tap !!”
So this is the story of Paani. 12 years ago when I was trying to get funding for Paani, every one said that I was talking about a fantasy film, that no one would identify with the problem. Today they say I must make the film because it is so relevent.
Do you take any help with story writing, like do u use any assistants of any sort to help write the scripts. If so, I will be more than privileged to render my services. Please don’t post this in the comments section as it is not relevant. Please do let me know thru email.
hmm.. today they must say it is so real in tomorrow..
sir! i want to assist you for this one! jst completed filming wid nandita das.. pls let me kno if its possible..
chaitanya kulkarni
chait.kulkarni@gmail.com
9819921827
)
This type of story is quite familiar. What makes it very special is that it is not just about corruption and stealing- water is essential for life!
Thanks, Shekhar.
As a Pakistani fan I request that you also make a film on the lower riparian rights of Pakistan which are now being violated by your country.
Millions of people lack access to water, sanitation, food and other basic amenities.
In many cases the scarcity is due to misuse by corrupt officials who dont care a damn about ordinary citizens. They exist to cater only to a privileged few. I think the movie is very relevant…
Natural Resources have been termed as Renewable-Resources long ago. Water is of utmost importance for the survival which is getting depleted very quickly.
I think another 5-10 years down the line we’ll be paying double the cost of Oil in future for Water such is the case of the current scenario where it is being stored & supplied only to influential people.
We really need to have more of this Genre of Films – Educational Documentaries or as Edutainment.
All the best with ‘Paani’.
Loads of Love & Luck,
NiTiSH
The reason is: There are only few visionaries.
Woooooooooooooooooooooo Shekhar read my comment đŸ™‚
nice to hear ur paani is going to be a real story one day.so its long wait after 12 years ur going to take ur paani,each year u would have added some new scripts.
can wait to see paani in 2011.
They say next world war will be fought over water which along with air is absolutely essential for life. I like to call it ‘blue gold’!
Nice to know that Christoph Waltz will be there in Paani. I saw in an interview of Quentin that before IB Christoph was just one of the supporting actors in an Austrian sit com. What a discovery by Quentin! I keep wondering the best acting talent in every damn movie industry right from a regional language in India to Hollywood are the supporting actors. For the money and the job security they have they do a terrific job. It must be a simply divine experience to watch them prepare and perform on sets.
Few years back,I used to make fun of the concept of packaged drinking water.I used to think an idiot will be buying 1lit water for 10 bucks !!! Well,now, iam one of the idiot.
A good film touches heart and changes habits. So hopefully your film would do some good to this world. People might start taking water conservation seriously. I wish more people would harvest rain water in their homes.
good luck with ‘Paani’
I’m your fan since my childhood.
Best of luck for PAANI !
70% of human body is water. 70% of earth is filled with water. 70% of population on earth don’t have easy access to drinking water… Why Why Why??? the question is always there. As I have said before… in India.. the best way to bring a serious topic into public view and start a dialogue is … make a movie out of it. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for making this movie.
We are also in a way to blame for what is happening. We take water for granted… something that will be there for us.. unless we know how a water deprived society is… we wont be able to visualise that we are headed towards it.
You are one of my heroes Shekhar.. every day.. you inspire me.. Thank you!
It is the truth about the calling of the tomes. When the impact on such issues is political, that is when they are brought to the forefront. I think that this incident can also be seen as a sign of change by the emerging next generation of Indians. Great idea for the movie project tho. Really hope you pursue it and good luck!
Bijapur,I have lived in this dusty town, fought many college debates on water crisis here,spent many days of my life fetching water and storing it away, taken out protests with the local authorities. In many ways this small historic town has remained unchanged since 100 years. People in reality do not expect water ‘on demand’. Supply once in 15days per house has been the norm for the last 60yrs.
The biggest room in most homes here is not to be found within four walls. It is most likely the water reservoir every home builds to store water. People do not waste water here. They know that every mug counts, I knew it. Inspite of the headline, the scarcity of this resource has however not brought the worst out yet. This place churns out the most engineers and doctors in the entire north karnataka, it educates more women than many other regions can dream of, has the only women’s university in that part of the country,it is the second largest region to grow grapes in South India, now also makes some of the finest wines from India. This historic town still grooms the humility and acceptance of Indian culture. The struggle is not a violent one. The silent will of the people to better their situation, that is the struggle. Which side of the struggle does ‘Paani’ intend to capture. Will ‘Paani’ speak to people of this town?
Oh please do make a film Shekharji, and more so, do make Pani. It was and will be relevant. For it not only has socio-political but also spiritual stories to it. Pani for me also suggests authenticity!
yeh paani jab tak aankhon ka paani naheen banegaa, iskee pahuchh sirf uchen pad per hee hogi. aam aadi pyasaa hee rahegaa..yeh hindustan ki sachaai hai…
Read your recent interview with Telegraph where you have talked about Paani being a mix of Slumdog meeting Blade Runner. It struck me how potent this idea is (specially when dealing with the imminent water crisis facing mankind). Do please make this movie soon. Have liked all your earlier movies and feel your technical finesse as a director can turn this idea into a visually stunning and socially compelling movie-going experience.
If you are basing the story in Mumbai, it will be nice to see you working with an Indian lead. Maybe someone like Hrithik Roshan as he has a rare western appeal among Indian actors.
Me, like all your fans, have been waiting for long to see your next movie.
Hi Shekhar,
Will Paani be filmed in India/abroad?
I wish you lots of luck fro the movie for 2 reasons:
1)The interesting and globally-significant plot
2)The ensemble of talented cast that you are trying to put together.
Regards,
–Divya.
I’m eagerly waiting to enjoy Barbara Mori in the movie “Kites”.I suppose she is really Hot.The chemistry between her and Hritik is definitely excellent.Interlocking Floor Mats
The title for your film is very interesting.
If we would right it in different ways the meaning would change
like pane-bread,food(italien)
panni chloth(italien)
paani acqua(hindi?)
pani´ Madam(Polen,Tschech.)
Pa´ni hand(sanscrit)
I’m not an linguistic science so no guarantee for …
To
Shekhar Kapoor
This is the clear letter from the emperor of India.
This is divine will. It is destiny. Its very urgent and mandatory. Whosoever u r, deliver this message to the Lahori shekharkapur personally.
the
Sultan-ul-Hind (Spiritual Sovereign of India)
Naib-e-Rasul-fil-Hind (Deputy of the Prophet in India)
Aftab-e-Jahan (Sun of the World)
Panah-e-Bekasan (Shelter of the Helpless)
finally for your project the He, the sun himself came. and This is the person who released the paani earlier physically. now this is the same person who will release the paani again virtually. after 1000 years in your reckoning.
By the Prophet Muhammad’s will and command, If u did not notice this letter with full potential and actual power, whomsoever u r considering for your project will not work. Contact as early as possible.
Shekhar Kapoor, your patience of many years worked. Now, don’t ignore or don’t leave this final and last consideration. All other considerations were From u. But this is from God, the supreme and ultimate power, Himself.
ur real script of paani ll release water virtually or theoretically. its same like slum-dog. in which those slum kids, social condition changed as their reality appeared on screen. but physically it ll only be possible when ur script ll occur practically or someone really felt or passed through this situation and released water practically. or as rakesh omprkash mehra said u cant give world cups kaptani to someone who didn’t even played galis cricket.
so this was the situation at the time of a mystic who arrived in India almost 1000 years ago. now the same power ll release water again, means ll unfold his own miracle into the scientific and logical patterns through the movie. i would not be able to explain u the unexplainable because its hearts chamki. these powers and mystics r fix and unshakable and at all levels. their work cant be done without them.
your project has lots of breakthroughs which is yet not known and those r not just predictions or sambhavnaye, they ll be. revelations or divinity must not be ignored. and obviously to do something unexceptional u have to cast unexceptionals, means to whom cinema even cant imagine. or everybody ll start saying u what the hell u r casting, shekhar? they cant even know abcd of acting. as u saw in slum-dog.
i really insist u for the people u must consider this. this ll change your mind even the soul if u consider this. its the next level divinity which u just felt in nusrat.
Dear Shekhar-ji,
Please approach a foreign/Hollywood production house/OTT Platform like Netflix or Amazon/other Streaming service for Paani.
This film really needs to get made.
I am optimistic that it would, in the future.
I got to know that Sushant SR would have been in the lead actor for this film.
Since, he is no longer with us, could you please cast an Indian actor who not from a Bollywood family in place of Sushant? An “outsider” like him? Maybe someone like Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi or Ayushman Khurrana?
Best Wishes.